I'm about to buy DVD workshop, mistake?

[KRSESQ]

DVD Workshop demo has crashed and burned with two different MPEG2 files now, usually when I'm trying to scroll through the video looking to set chapter points.

I originally thought the prob might lie with the video itself. Both videos were created by TMPGEnc v.Beta 12a (old version, I know. but has unrestricted MPEG2 support) frameserved from Premiere. The output settings in Premiere might have been a little screwy for the first video, i.e. 30 fps instead of 29.97 (corrected in TMPGEnc). The encoding didn't automatically stop for this one when it finished. I had to stop it manually. When I used DVD Workshop on this one, The program's response time was S_L_O_W. For the second video I corrected the above glitches and DVD Workshop response time was more what I'd call normal. It still crashed during chapter point selection. Both files play just fine in PowerDVD.

When I used the first video with DVD Movie Factory a strange thing happened: I couldn't scroll to any point between 4 min 30 sec and 6 min 16 sec. Trying to manually set a time point of 4:45 (or even 4:31 or 5:30) jumped it to 6:16. Trying to set it to 6:15, same thing in reverse.

Freakin' Gremlins!

Kevin

[wkulecz]

Welcome to the world of Ulead bugs!

You are seeing the DVD Movie Factory "dead zone" problem I've been talking about.

Ulead refuses to even acknoledge it. I see it on files encoded by MSP6.5 (Ligos) and MSP6.51a(MainConcept) so its not the encoder.

--wally.

[Elie]

There should be a 1.3 patch out there.

Ulead worked for me with great stability, did not crash once and I used it for hours creating animated menus, chapter point, first play and background audio/video.

Mind you I imported Mpeg-2 files I created with RT.X100 but that shouldn't make a difference.

I like DVD WS, it really works well.

Cheers,
Elie

[BrianP]

RE: auto play

I don't have DVDWS so I can't comment on that, but autoplay is something that is easy to implement with most of the mid- to high-range authoring programs. Programs that I know to have this feature: ReelDVD and DVDMaestro. And I'm fairly confident in assuming that Apple's DVD Studio Pro has it.

[Will Hay]

Originally posted by BrianP
...but autoplay is something that is easy to implement with most of the mid- to high-range authoring programs.

Hmm, am I the only person that doesn't want autoplay?
I have Ulead MovieFactory, and after creating a six part vcd of my (baby) son with background pic and six thumbnails I get a flash of the chapters and then the first clip starts.
I then have to press stop to go back to the menu page.
I'd prefer to be faced with the menu page and then choose from there.
Anyone come across this?
Will

[wkulecz]

VCD menus work very differently that DVD menus and many players have broken support for VCD -- be happy that it plays :-)

I've made VCD in Nero that seem to have the behavior you want.
By default there is a "menu duration" parameter that defaults to 1 second, changing it to 0 means nothing happens until you make a selection. Unfortunately VCD doesn't let you "choose" a menu item, you have to select it by number on the keypad :-(

Are you sure this is what you want?

What you are getting (without the menu flash) is what I want from ny DVDs and can't seem to get in any reasonabley priced package.

You can download a free trial of Nero and re-author your VCD using your six files. www.nero.com

--wally.

[Will Hay]

Originally posted by wkulecz
VCD menus work very differently that DVD menus and many players have broken support for VCD -- be happy that it plays :-)

I've made VCD in Nero that seem to have the behavior you want.
By default there is a "menu duration" parameter that defaults to 1 second, changing it to 0 means nothing happens until you make a selection. Unfortunately VCD doesn't let you "choose" a menu item, you have to select it by number on the keypad :-(

Are you sure this is what you want?

If I'm faced with six thumbnails and have to press numbers one to six on the keypad to start one then yes, that is *exactly* what I want.
I have eight clips of my son (all taken since Feb this year - one a month) and want the option to pick a month and watch it.
Thanks,
Will

[Will Hay]

Originally posted by wkulecz
You can download a free trial of Nero and re-author your VCD using your six files. www.nero.com

I can re-author a vcd?
You mean I can insert a disk of a vcd and re-create it?
Add a different background pic, thumbnails etc?
I have Nero which I use for creating simple vcd's (the ones that simply autostart) - I've not seen an option to author.
Must be another version.
Thanks,
Will

[wkulecz]

There is a check box when you choose the VCD template to enable menus. You then choose the NxM size, background image, text size and color etc. Pretty basic but it does a good job of letting you pic a representative frame from the video for the thumbnail in the menu.

I think this works correctly from at least version 5.5.40 on.

--wally.

[MPR]

Originally posted by wkulecz

Micro Center has an ADS Pyro ProDVD with full bundled DVD Workshop (and MSP 6.5 "director'r cut") for $179. You can throw away the 1394 card and still be ahead of any other way I've seen to buy the software.

I'd have bought it if I'd been able to figure out how to do what I want with the 1 month trial :-(

--wally.

I was looking to buy DVD Workshop but thanks to Wally I picked up the ADS Pyro ProDVD from PCconnection for $139. It came with a capture card, firewire cable, Ulead MSP 6.5 Director's Cut, DVD Workshop, and DVD Pictureshow.

I got DVD Workshop for half the cost plus other goodies

Thanks again Wally.

Mike

[wkulecz]

Make sure you go to ADS web site and download the version 1.3 update!

--wally.

[MPR]

After registering DVD WS I was able to download the update direct from Ulead.

Thanks,
Mike

[Hulk]

Update - I am very satisfied with DVD Workshop. I purchased the full version from Ulead so I won't have any problems with upgrades and new versions in the future. I've decided that I'm in with Ulead for the long haul.